The Girl With the Haunted Eyes - EPILOGUE
by NativeMoon
Summary: Summary: A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U Author Notes: This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story - COMPLETE
1. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 _ **Summary: Short Story -**_ A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 _ **Author Notes:**_ _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 001: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear**

A weary Harry Potter made his way through the dense snowy woodland of the Forest of Dean, trying to shake off the tiredness that begged him to go home and collapse in the warm comfort of his own bed as distance church bells began to chime the Witching Hour. Harry had last been here when he was on the run from the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort during the war and hadn't been too keen to revisit the place. But when the Greatest Wizard of the Age Albus Dumbledore issued a summons only a fool would ignore it. Dumbledore always had a way of making sure people lived to regret it.

It was enough that Harry's job as the Head of the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic in London sometimes required him to keep unreasonable hours, but those had been mercifully few and far in-between unlike when he was just one of the rank-and-file in the immediate aftermath of the last Wizarding War. The sooner he got this cloak-and-dagger business over with, the sooner he could go home, he thought to himself as he stood on the edge of a clearing. He had a wife and three young children to go home to, unlike the former Headmaster at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.

' _I see you are a lot more cautious even in a time of relative peace, Head Auror Potter,'_ came a gravelly voice from the darkness to his right.

Harry sighed as he lowered his wand.

'Occupational hazard I guess,' he replied as Dumbledore ambled into view. 'So what's this about, Professor?'

'Not even so much as a "hello, how are you?" and other mundane pleasantries?' his former Headmaster observed as he transfigured two chairs out of tree branches and gestured for Harry to sit.

'With all due respect Sir; it's the middle of the night and freezing cold…and I'm normally at home safe-and-sound tucked up in bed. Considering everything you went through to get me out here, of all places, at this hour and away from the Ministry I'm assuming it's not for a social call.'

'I suppose the war has changed us all, in one fashion or another…'

There was no reply as Harry waited, barely hiding his irritability. He had a suspicion about what was coming and was in no mood for yet another game of Dumbledore's real-life version of Wizard's Chess.

'I am in need of your assistance…' Dumbledore said, peering at him over the top of his half-moon glasses.

'…and my discretion about whatever it is since you're avoiding official channels, such as they are.'

'Yes.'

'Let me guess – you haven't been able to track _them_ down.'

'It is rather like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack.'

'I can't help you.'

'You have been refusing to help me.'

'Snape was fully exonerated and Julian Petersson never said boo to a goose even though she lost a lot more than most and not just because of the war.'

'I see.'

'I have a job to do, Professor; hunting down Dark Wizards and Witches. I still don't particularly like Severus Snape but I do respect everything he did for us. And I don't understand what the problem is with Julian but she's as far from being a Dark Witch as a woman in our world can get.'

'As your dear wife's best friend, I don't suppose Miss Petersson has had occasion to be in contact with her after all this time.'

'It's obvious to me that Professor Snape is getting on with his life wherever he is and so is Julian Petersson wherever she's hiding herself. Neither of them is bothering anyone – and that's all that matters in a court of law.'

'I'm not asking for charges to be brought against them. The Wizengamot…would be a waste of time.'

'So – this _really is_ personal for you; which means there's no reason for me to be out here about it yet again.'

Harry started to stand up, but the old man grabbed his arm.

'Wait – just listen…. All I ask of you now is to just listen…' Dumbledore rasped as Harry jerked his arm free.

Harry swore under his breath as he sat back down.

'OK; I'm listening,' he said resentfully.

A half-hour later he was filled with horror.


	2. Fell On Black Days

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 ** _Summary: Short Story -_** A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 ** _Author Notes:_** _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 002: Fell On Black Days**

The next day Harry wasted no time in calling on the one person he absolutely trusted to help him work out what to do about what Dumbledore had hit him with. He and Hermione Granger-Malfoy had been best friends as Hogwarts students and it was no exaggeration to say that he owed as much to her as he did Snape and Dumbledore for keeping him alive. But they'd also fallen out with him stubbornly refusing to back down even though he supposed their conflicts were his own damn fault. The right moment to try and talk to her hadn't presented itself – until now.

'Hyde Park in the freezing cold at the crack of dawn,' Hermione sighed as she handed him a steaming cup of coffee after sitting down next to him. 'No chance of being seen or heard here though I still don't understand why the need for all this palaver… dead quiet at the Ministry these days.'

'Have to admit I didn't think you'd come after…'

'Draco was the one who found your owl trying to peck his way into the house; poor thing was frozen to the bone. He figured that whatever the situation is it must be pretty big for you to swallow your damnable Gryffindork pride and send for me so he answered for me and then pulled me out of bed.'

'Oh great! The Slytherin Prince will have a jolly good laugh with his mates about this I'm sure!'

'You mean the old ones he hasn't talked to since we left school because his friends now are the same ones _we_ were tight with at school. Look – I didn't sacrifice sleep and warmth to come all the way out here to listen to you whinge about my husband!' Hermione hissed. 'You know damn well he's not the same person he was then, Harry, but whatever. What do you want?'

'What I'm about to tell you… you have to promise me Hermione that you won't say anything about it to anyone else – not Draco, not Ginny… NO ONE!'

Hermione's lips parted as though she was going to speak, but Harry looked so shaken up that she quickly swallowed the snarky comment about his inability to admit when he's wrong that nearly tumbled out.

'He had a child, Hermione… _HE HAD A CHILD!_ '

'A child? Who? I don't understand…'

' _Voldemort - Voldemort had a child!_

Hermione's cup of coffee slid from her hands and landed in the heavy snow and ice with a faint crunch. She was so shocked that it didn't even occur to her clear it up magically as she normally would have done.

'… _no… it can't be…'_ she spluttered.

She'd been reasonably confident that Harry would never find out the truth about his wife's best friend.

And there was only one way that he could have done after all this time. It was going to be hard, but she needed to pretend that she was fairly clueless about the whole thing.

' _After everything Julian and I went through in the war… after everything I've done to try and forget her…!'_ Harry cried as he rocked back and forth in anguish.

'Julian? What's she got to do with this?'

' _Julian's real father was Voldemort!'_

Hermione clasped her gloved hands tightly to stop them from twitching. Harry wasn't always one to draw the right conclusions from scant facts. It had always been down to her to make him see sense since logic wasn't a strong suit of his. He might be Head Auror now, but his reasoning still sometimes defied the imagination. An accusation like this… Julian Petersson would be marked and hunted. Merlin only knew what would be done to her if the wrong people got wind of this and somehow tracked her down.

At heart Harry was a decent man, despite the lingering wounds of a decidedly one-sided teenage love that wasn't meant to be. He wasn't as obsessive about Julian as their old Potions Master had been about his own childhood love for Harry's mother, but Harry still hadn't got over the pain of being rejected and for the most unlikely of competitors for their Housemate's heart. She would appeal to the better side of his nature but needed to tread carefully.

'I think we need to calm down and really think about this,' Hermione said evenly. 'This business about Voldemort and Julian is mad – what makes you think so? How did you find out? What made you even open an investigation?'

'I… I haven't done anything about it… yet. Dumbledore called me out to a meeting in bloody middle of nowhere North Yorkshire Moors just past Midnight last night. He's been pressuring me hard for the past couple of years to find Snape but won't tell me why. Then this past summer he started in on Julian, all incredibly vague… until now.'

'So this is another petty personal vendetta of his then… it figures. Dumbledore's most useful pawn realised he had a life of his own he could finally lead and told his Lordship to go fuck himself so of course Dumbledore isn't having it,' Hermione spat. 'I still say good on Professor Snape for walking away from all this crap and finally being his own man. Good luck to him, wherever he is.'

'I hadn't been biting; I was stringing Dumbledore along because I don't have the time or energy for any more of his madness and I don't want to hurt Julian any more than I already have done. He wasn't pleased at all with my attitude at all last night…I managed to surprise myself with how incredibly uncooperative I was for a change. I was literally about to walk away from him when he hit me with this business Voldemort fathering a child… a child that he kept secret about all these years… And McGonagall too…'

'So he's dropping Minerva in this steaming industrial strength cauldron of poo as well? Merlin give me strength and help you if he ever really decides to turn on you Harry!'

'As it turns out, Julian wasn't adopted by the Petersson's as a baby like she was brainwashed to believe, like we were all brainwashed to believe… She was with Minerva's clan until she was four years old…'

' _Are you serious?! Have you…?'_

' _Yes_ ; right after I left Dumbledore which I'm sure he was counting on. And Headmistress McGonagall painted quite a picture of Julian's situation with the Peterssons _and_ Dumbledore – and Snape's situation with Dumbledore too as it happens. I don't think I've seen her that angry and upset since the Battle at Hogwarts. Dumbledore's really fucked up a lot of people's lives, the Weasleys included, since they were roped into keeping an eye on the Peterssons after Julian was placed with them.'

'Poor Molly and Arthur… Julian was safe and I can image very happy with the Clan MacLeod. No wonder she was always drawn to the Isle of Skye…'

'It's a damn shame she never understood the connection she has to that place… it's a magical one. McGonagall never entirely trusted Dumbledore no matter what he said. But she didn't want all-out war between him and the Highlanders or the Highlanders and the Ministry. She wouldn't admit it, but I think she and her Clan Council put protections of their own in place for Julian. Makes me wonder about Snape too… he's had more lives than a cat.'

'What does Snape have to do with any of this besides being the double agent pawn Dumbledore wants you to illegally use Ministry resources to track down?'

'I don't know, exactly…'

'Look Harry, I think you'd do well to remember that even if Julian is still alive, she isn't Voldemort - and neither is Snape... and that if we are to judge people by the choices they've made then Snape more than redeemed himself. Even you've had admit he's made great sacrifices no one else had to. The only thing Julian has ever been guilty of was seeing right through Dumbledore's bullshit and refusing to be just another pawn for him to use. She doesn't owe him anything.'

'He expected to be able to make use of her; he was _'saving her for the proper moment'_ like he did me, as Snape would say. But Julian was too good for Dumbledore. She outsmarted him at the height of his powers... and Voldemort's. It's unnerving when you think about it – especially considering who her real father is.'

'Dumbledore's brother had a point you know,' Hermione sighed. 'The Headmaster was no better than Professor Slughorn with collecting people to use. Dumbledore has admitted to you that he manipulated Julian's life and everyone connected to her, including the Peterssons and the Weasleys. He kept her alive and brought her to Hogwarts just to try to brow-beat and guilt-trip her into eventually doing his bidding. I'd bet my Gringott's balance that Dumbledore thinks Julian is as much a threat to him as Voldemort was by virtue of powers she's never demonstrated she actually has let alone an interest in the Dark Arts. All she wanted was the good, ordinary life he took her from, she showed everyone that time and time again. He thought he could manipulate her the way he has you and Snape and she defied him. His Lordship can't have that, now can he!'

 _'Snape doesn't want to be ordinary...'_

' _Snape doesn't want to be ordinary_... _despite walking away from everything he had to gain between being Headmaster and all the money and honours the Ministry was handing him_. You just have to carry on making unfair presumptions about him after everything he risked to reveal himself to you to help you defeat Voldemort yet you don't even want to face the truth about why Dumbledore is happy to give Julian up after all this time. He knows you're still in love with her even though you put up a good front about it for Ginny's sake. Dumbledore says jump and nobody even asks how high - they just do it against all reason. It's bloody ridiculous.'

'But there is proof that Snape & Julian were... you know... Minerva wouldn't admit it but reading between the lines, even she knew that they had _something_ going while Julian was a student…and before she was in the Senior School.'

'At the end of the day it would amount to tittle-tattle that really is nobody's business.'

'Oh come on Hermione! **We saw them together** while we were still at school... If need be you could back me up this time and...'

' **Let me tell you what I saw** : _I saw a young woman of minority legal age in agony, a young woman being fucking terrorised by Dumbledore_ who conveniently told her adoptive parents that her real parents were evil Dark Wizards and they kicked her out and cut her off. And nevermind all that shady business that Mr Petersson did for Dumbledore that got all those officials in the Muggle Parliament killed. But instead of running to McGonagall like Dumbledore expected, what does Julian do? She wises up real fast and fends for herself, not wanting to be responsible for all-out war again between the Highlanders and the Ministry. Now _**that**_ is bloody brave if you ask me – and completely unlike anything either of her parents ever did. That night... Julian needed reassurance that she would be OK from the only person she ever genuinely loved and trusted with everything that she is besides Cedric Diggory, bless his dearly departed soul.'

'You don't have to remind me…'

' _How else am I going to make you see sense and let go of wanting to get your own back?!_ You don't want to hear it but _**you**_ made a bad situation worse by shooting your mouth off to Dumbledore at school! BOTH of you tried to drop Snape right in to the deepest pile of crap to make sure Julian and Snape would never trust each other and it backfired! You are STILL in love with the image you created of her for yourself and you weren't particularly nice to her even though she was more than kind to you when she let you down. _A real friend wouldn't have done what you did to her_. And you certainly moved on to Ginny quick enough, the poor blinkered fool! Snape had everything to lose but he willingly told her the truth because he loved her enough to not lie to her about who he is and what he's done. You're lucky that Julian decided to take a charitable view of the situation even though you hurt her in ways neither of us ever thought possible!'

' _But Snape, Hermione… SNAPE OF ALL PEOPLE!'_ Harry spat.

'I'd never choose him for myself, but I'm not going to fault her for anything she's done,' Hermione said agrily. '…and I'm not going to fault Snape for falling in love with her and daring to love her and doing what he could take care of her **like he did you**. Unlike you Julian was very isolated. Snape was willing to die for her Harry… **the same way a lot of people looked after you and even died for you**. You look at the lives Dumbledore has ruined chasing power and think hard about why he's trying to manipulate _"The Chosen One"_ yet again. He's still running your life even after being exiled the same way he ran Snape's and you don't even work for him. He talks a good game about the power and goodness of love and yet he has no use for it himself and is picky with who he thinks deserves to have for themselves.'

'I grant you if it wasn't for Snape I wouldn't even be alive. ... I probably owe him more than I owe Dumbledore to be fair. He's the bravest man I've ever known to be honest even if there's a lot I still don't like about him – _like fucking a Hogwarts student when he should have kept it in his pants_. I might have actually stood a chance if…'

'You. Never. Did! It. Wasn't. Going. To. Happen! And you don't know for sure that their relationship then was anything but platonic. Their connection kept each other alive in ways that Dumbledore never cared to. She gave him a reason to want to live for himself and eventually have real love instead of an unhealthy childish obsession with your mother. It's because of Julian that Snape finally realised the truth about himself – and that Dumbledore used what Snape _thought_ he felt for your mum against him. I don't like how the man ran his classroom or how he treated certain students he looked down on including me, but Snape deserved have genuine goodness in his life and to be left alone in peace after Voldemort was vanquished and so did Julian. If they're alive and together after all this time, then more power to them! It's not for anyone else to judge!'

Harry sighed frustratedly, but Hermione could see that he was thinking.

'Dumbledore can't even go into hiding himself and die a quick death now that people are onto him... No, he just _**had**_ to drop this at your feet knowing how easy it is for you to fall right into his traps,' she said angrily. 'His meddling is finally costing him his life and now he wants Julian and Professor Snape dead but he's getting you to do it for him. You have a choice to make Harry. You can either finally be your own man or carry on being Dumbledore's stooge even with him having one foot in the grave. Remember why he's dying - he couldn't leave well enough alone with the Deathly Hallows  & put on that cursed ring. His greatest weakness is still the love of power. He gets off on having and misusing it. He's no different than Voldemort was in that respect. You're lucky he hasn't tried to kill you to get the cloak back.'

 _'Tell me what you really think...'_

'You came to me with this so I'm telling you. It's up to you.'

Hermione got up and frowned at the snow that was beginning to fall heavily. She opened her umbrella and left Harry with more food for thought.

'One more thing - _Julian is infertile_ ,' she said. 'She willingly had a full hysterectomy to guarantee she'd never have children. She was that horrified about her bloodlines. But of course the Headmaster didn't tell you THAT, now did he...'

' _How do you know?'_

'She had a massive baby-sized fibroid that nearly killed her in our 6th Year. You remember how she was in pain and really sick – and her left leg blew up and she had trouble walking? Well it was that. If it wasn't for Molly insisting on taking her to a Muggle NHS hospital and then caring for her afterwards, Julian would have died then. The tumour was restricting the blood flow to and from her heart; the specialist reckoned that at the very least she would have lost her leg and then died within a year or so.' **

' _And… Dumbledore…'_

'…has always been well aware of it and didn't say a bloody word to you. Check with Molly and Ginny if you don't believe me and McGonagall if you don't want to believe them. And remember that Julian _was_ Ginny's best friend… it was Julian who kept Ginny alive and sane during all that Chamber of Secrets business with Tom Riddle's Diary. She saw what was happening and believed Ginny when no one else did, including us. She's no saint… she's not perfect, nobody is, but Julian never had a mean bone in her body, Harry. You know that. Julian had a chance, a great chance for a really good uncomplicated life if Dumbledore hadn't interfered. But at heart she was a fine person – and a really good friend to you even when you didn't deserve it.'

' _But Snape…'_

'… _was lied to. And manipulated just like the rest of us! You know that!_ Even his own memories and Dumbledore's confirmed that for you! Dumbledore never even told him that his main goal in keeping you alive was to buy time to find all of Voldemort's Horcruxes himself and other things along the way. Dumbledore claimed that he destroyed all of the ones he found, but it turns out all this time he actually held one back… _ **the ring**_. And then he goes and puts on that cursed thing KNOWING that he shouldn't anyway just because _**he cannot resist power**_. **Dumbledore is the biggest bully in the playground and a hypocrite – making sure that no one else knows as much as he does. He's as bad as anyone he's ever criticised.**

 _Look at what I'm left with thanks to him: my parents are out there with no memory of me and I have to somehow find them AND get close enough to replace their memories – with no guarantee that it will work. Knowing everything that I know now… how I really wasn't needed after all…and I was tortured and almost killed… I have spent all these years trying… and what do I or my children have of_ _ **my**_ _ **own**_ _flesh and blood? NOTHING! So ask yourself why Dumbledore hasn't descended from his lofty perch to help me after all these years while you think about the real reason he wants Julian and Snape found since he's convinced they're both still alive and together. Remember what McGonagall said to us: All "Great" people have an element of ruthlessness to their character, some more than others. You don't get the power that Dumbledore has by being beyond reproach. There's things you really need to be thinking critically about here and I'm tired of having to do it for you. You'll just run off and do what you want anyway, same as usual. No more… I can't deal with it anymore!'  
_  
Hermione walked into a nearby thicket of trees and Disapparated, leaving a shocked Harry to brood about his latest unwanted drama.

* * *

** the hysterectomy situation is real, taken from my own life. Full Partial Pelvic Clearance in 2009 that nearly killed me on the table, as it happens.


	3. The Ice Storm

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 _ **Summary: Short Story –**_ A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 _ **Author Notes:**_ _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 003: The Ice Storm**

Gale force winds, ice, and heavy snow began to lay siege to the landscape around Wastwater Lake and Scafell Pike in Northern England's Lake District.

Hermione stood on a hill looking over at her house trying not to worry after Apparating.

She and Draco had worked so hard to distance themselves from the nefarious machinations of her in–laws to create a life filled with love and acceptance for themselves and their children. Draco had done it of his own volition, desperate to ensure that there would be none of the cold-hearted Pureblood bigotry, Muggle hatred, and Dark Arts worship that had marked his upbringing.

Draco Lucius Malfoy was not the man he'd been raised to be and they had a great life together, one that neither could have dreamt of before or during the war.

His Muggleborn wife couldn't help but be concerned about how this latest fallout with Harry might impact them and their children.

So many secrets had been kept over the years and it wouldn't take much for everything to be turned upside down, inside out.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

Draco was up, looking pensive as he nursed a cup of tea anxiously awaiting Hermione's return.

'I sent a sickness beacon to the Ministry; they can make do without you for a while,' he said as Hermione stepped into the kitchen from the wet room at the rear of their house. 'Good thing too – you look shattered. Back to bed for us both I think.'

'The kids…?'

'The little crumbsnatchers are still asleep, thank Merlin. Schools are all closed according to the radio; probably will be for at least the rest of the week I'd imagine.'

Hermione's eyes began to water and her lips trembled as her husband fixed her a cup of tea with a few drops of her favourite sleep easy tincture.

'What's wrong, poppet?' he queried, clearly worried as he turned to hand it to her.

Hermione began to cry and Draco pulled her into his arms.

'What the hell happened?!' he demanded as held her. 'I'll hex his scrawny ass into oblivion if he..!'

' _He knows, Draco –_ _ **he knows**_ _!'_

'He knows? About what?'

' _Julian_. Harry knows about Julian… _who her real father is!_ '

Draco ran a shaky hand through his short white blond hair and then banged his fists on the kitchen counter.

' _Dammit! After all this time?! But we've been so careful! How?!'_

' _ **Dumbledore, who else?! Why the hell can't he just roll into a grave somewhere and die?!'**_

Hermione recounted every detail of her conversation with Harry, barring having to stand up for the man she'd given her heart to yet again.

It did little to alleviate her husband's long–standing fears for the woman he had counted as a better friend than he'd deserved in those dark times and his former Head of House, Potions Master, and fellow Death Eater.

'Funny how Potter always said Severus was petty for holding grudges – well Dumbledore certainly puts him in the shade and Potter isn't too far off!'

'I should have realised that Dumbledore would carry on using what he knows about Harry's feelings for Julian to manipulate him. I wouldn't put it past him to try and use it against Ginny if Harry doesn't crack!'

' _You honestly think Dumbledore would destroy Potter's marriage?! Their children…for Merlin's sake the youngest son is named after him!'_

' _...and our old Potions Master._ Dumbledore will do whatever he's convinced is right just like he always has! It certainly suited him that Professor Snape was isolated, hated, and lonely for over 10 years until Julian came along! Not to mention how he used Harry, Ron, and me when we were kids! We could have been killed so many times and he didn't care!'

'Dumbledore certainly had Severus convinced that the only way he could do his bidding was to be that way. Julian made him see otherwise, bless her tormented soul. Even the Dark Lord never made any such demands of his Inner Circle.'

' _One of life's great ironies…'_

'I don't get it, I honestly don't get it! So in Dumbledore's twisted mind Julian and Severus have to carry on paying for bullshit that had nothing to do with them even though Dumbledore got what he wanted anyway: Severus helped Potter vanquish the Dark Lord in the end. _If Potter owes anyone it's Severus AND Julian!_ '

There was an uneasy silence as he and his wife digested the magnitude of the one of their few remaining problems from the last Wizarding Blood War.

' _I'm just so tired, Draco…'_

'I know poppet, I know. Minerva's wanted to come down for a visit for a while now. No time like the present – but only after you've had some rest. No arguments.'

 **XxxOOOxxX**

Hermione lay in Draco's arms on the floor of their snug room, not quite spent from their lovemaking in front of the fireplace. It never ceased to amaze her; she could be bone weary and stressed from problems outside their home but as soon as he touched her there was nothing but the overwhelming need to shag.

The same was true for Draco with her.

'I really needed that,' he murmured as he savoured Hermione's caresses.

'So did I. If Harry hadn't summoned me…'

Nothing could dilute the intensity of their passion after all these years, not even their three children. The snug wasn't ideal, but it enabled them to be as uninhibited as they liked without waking up their offspring.

'He still hates me, doesn't he?'

'I'm sorry my darling,' came his wife's breathy answer between deep kisses.

' _Hermione…'_ Draco moaned as he entered her again. _'I love you… I love you so much…'_

' _I love you too, so very much. Forget about Harry_ – _he doesn't matter right now.'_

 **XxxOOOxxX**

When Hermione woke up she was curled up in their bed with Draco spooned against her. She smiled; it wasn't the first time he'd carried her up to bed fast asleep and it would hardly be the last.

She carefully extricated herself from her husband's grip to go check on their children. She relished moments of peace and quiet in their household, but if the children were home then that usually meant that they were up to something, the little heathens. None of them managed to fall asleep straight away the night before so with luck they'd be out for the count for a good while yet.

 **OOO**

Hermione checked in on seven year-old Scorpius. their eldest son, first. His brother and sister were always eager to follow his lead. If he was up, then it was very likely they would be too.

' _So much like your father and grandfather,'_ she murmured as she smoothed his white blond hair off his pointed face.

True to form, he'd been up reading in bed again after lights out. His beloved _'Tales of Beedle the Bard'_ book was on the floor where it had fallen as he slept. The flashlight he'd taken from the kitchen was still on in his bed, perched precariously close to the edge of his mattress.

His mother couldn't be angry though; Scorpius was very much like her with his love of books. And she was pleased that he cherished her little present. The book was a rite of passage for wizarding children much like _Grimm's Fairy Tales_ had been for generations of Muggles. Scorpius was already showing signs of being very creative in ways she and Draco had never been with his made-up stories and drawings to go with them and love of dressing up in costumes to act them out.

Though his paternal grandparents railed against their grandchildren getting a Muggle education (it was to be expected with a Mudblood daughter-in-law), the local village school was a positive force for the littlest Malfoys. Though Scorpius had put with some teasing about his unusual name, he'd still managed to make friends with other children who had the same nerdy interests that he did. His Muggle friends actually thought he was pretty cool.

His parents' fears about his somewhat solitary nature were laid to rest thanks to a steady stream of play dates and invitations from classmates, outings which their firstborn was always happy to take part in.

Scorpius mumbled in his sleep and rolled onto his side. His faint snoring was the one sign he was sure to be in bed a while longer.

Hermione took the flashlight and adjusted his blankets before checking in on their youngest child and the only girl, three year-old Nyssa.

 **OOO**

Though Draco loved the sons he'd longed for, there was no doubting that chestnut-haired Nyssa with her fat curls and pale greenish-hazel eyes was the apple of her father's eye – much like Hermione had been with her own father and especially with being an only child.

Nyssa had fallen asleep in the fairy princess costume Draco had surprised her with, howling the house down in tears when Hermione tried to change her for bed the night before.

' _You've created a monster,' Hermione admonished her husband afterwards._

' _It could be worse,' Draco replied with a grin, moving out of the way before she could swat him with the book she was reading. 'At least she let you take off the wings!'_

'Mummy?' her baby murmured.

'It's OK darling, go back to sleep…'

Hermione smoothed some wayward curls from her daughter's forehead before turning off her nightlight and tucking her favourite teddy bear beside her.

 **OOO**

Of course youngest son and middle child Perseus was stirring as Hermione walked into his room. The look of the Malfoys had marked him too. Like Scorpius, there was no doubting who his father was with his white blond hair and pointed face. Unlike his brother, Perseus had his mother's brown eyes instead of his father's pale grey ones.

'Big snow storm so no school today,' she said quietly.

'Aww but it's Show and Tell!'' her five year-old croaked.

'I'm sure you'll still have to give your talk when you go back. At least you have more time to think about what you want to say about Thomas.'

 _Thomas the Tank Engine_ was his favourite book series and Muggle telly programme. He was going to take in his treasured toy train and give a little speech about his best friend.

Draco had surprised him with a rather large version of the toy; one much too large for him to be sleeping with.

'Will you help me some more Mummy?'

'Of course I will sweetie; just not right now. You tossed and turned all night so try and get some good sleep.'

'Can we have pattycakes and humpty dumpties later?'

'I think I can manage pancakes and scrambled eggs.'

'And saucy-jis?'

'And sausages.'

'And hot choh-lit?'

'And hot chocolate too,' Hermione said smiling. 'So the sooner you get some more sleep the sooner you will wake up and we'll have a lovely brunch.'

'Yay! You're the bestest mummy in the whole world!'

'You sure about that?' his mother whispered, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Once again she was reminded how Scorpius was such a fiercely independent child, completely unlike his younger brother who always needed his mummy for one thing or another.

'Uh huh,' Perseus confirmed through a yawn as Hermione kissed him on the forehead and tucked his _Thomas the Tank Engine_ duvet around him.

Hermione sat with him until he'd fallen asleep again.

Only then could she remove his best friend from his bed without kicking up a fuss.

 **OOO**

Wind, ice, and snow battered the house something fierce as Hermione slid back into the warmth of her own bed and Draco's arms.

'Everything alright poppet?' he murmured sleepily as they snuggled up.

'Perfect – _thank you,'_ came a contented sigh as he held her tight.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

Harry knew that going to work was a waste of time before he set foot in the Ministry of Magic.

But anything was better than going home.

He'd given into Ginny's desire to live near her parents where she'd grown up in rural Devon instead of the imposing Georgian terrace that was Grimmauld Place in London.

The former headquarters for Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix was the only connection he had to his late Godfather, Sirius Black, and his parents by extension. The house had been overrun with some of the worst Dark Objects and Magic he'd ever encountered even as an Auror. But that was during the war when he'd taken possession of it after Sirius was murdered during a battle with Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic.

Now it was a light and airy stylish family home going to waste – when Harry wasn't in residence.

He was lucky he had the kind of job that gave him an easy excuse to avoid returning to Ginny's home.

 _Ginny's home – not his._

As with Hermione and Draco, the Potters had three children. Also like them the first two were boys and the youngest the only girl.

Harry tried his best to love his children despite not loving the woman who'd given birth to them.

Until that morning he couldn't help but wonder what his offspring would have been like with Julian as their mother more often than not when he looked at them.

 _But now he knew that Julian was unable to have children and never had been._

 _The knowledge of it ripped a hole in his heart._

Harry had invested so much emotionally into his fantasy of her being the perfect wife and mother for years. That's all Julian had ever wanted: to have a simple, quiet life with a family of her own and a man who truly loved her and their children, so she'd told Ginny.

 _The stuff that dreams are made of._

At the time it appeared that Cedric Diggory would be the lucky one. But Hogwarts's true TriWizard Champion lost his life to Voldemort during Harry's fourth year. Once things had calmed down Harry had presumed he might have a shot.

It was Severus Snape who put Julian back together emotionally in the aftermath – and changed everything.

Hermione was right about one thing at least: Ginny always was and still is a blinkered fool...forever caught up in her childish schoolgirl crush on _The Boy Who Lived_ aka _The Chosen One_. She was the fangirl who got lucky, according to the Hogwarts rumour mill and a good number of their friends. Perhaps clinging to youthful illusion was better than facing the reality of being trapped in a loveless and now sexless marriage with the boy–turned–man she'd idolised once upon a time.

As with everything else about Harry's life, not even his marriage was spared dissection by strangers and friends alike.

Julian had been one of the notable exceptions.

She'd wished Harry and Ginny well from a distance and left them to it. She kept her own counsel, not wanting to hurt her ex Gryffindor roommate and best friend the way that Harry had hurt her.

Harry's unresolved issues with himself and the situation with Ginny were starting to have a trickle–down effect on his children, his youngest son especially.

Though only five years-old, Albus Severus Potter was already struggling with his father's distance and with being known as the son of _The Master of Death_. Being the spitting image of him and the only Potter child to inherit his late grandmother Lily's bright green eyes didn't help matters either. People made a fuss everywhere they went in the wizarding world pointing, whispering, and reaching out to touch him.

' _You're making too big a deal out of it!' Harry told Ginny dismissively during their latest argument. 'You know I can't change anything and I didn't ask for it!'_

' _Al didn't ask this either! For Merlin's sake Harry he's just a child!'_

' _He'll have to learn to deal with it, same as I had to!'_

' _He shouldn't have to!'_

' _Then you should have married Dean Thomas or Michael Corner! YOU ASKED ME, remember?! This is what you signed up for when you married me!'_

' _How can I forget with you always reminding me?!'_

' _This is bloody ridiculous!' Harry snarled, grabbing his coat._

' _Where are you going?! It's the middle of the night!'_

' _A meeting!'_

' _A meeting – when anyone with sense is sleeping?!'_

' _Nothing about Dark Wizards makes any sense and that includes hunting them! Do yourself a favour and take your own advice; you should be sleeping instead of harassing me about things I have no control over and my job_ _ **yet again**_ _!'_

 _Ginny burst into tears as Harry stormed out of their front door and slammed it shut._

 _She never knew when he'd be back._

 _It could be days or even weeks._

 _He'd disappear for long stretches of time only to return suddenly with no accounting for where he'd been or what he'd been doing._

No – no going to Ginny's home now.

That was the last thing he needed.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

'I don't know what to do,' Harry rasped tearfully. 'No matter what I do somebody will get hurt.'

'Somebody is already getting hurt,' said his best friend and fellow Gryffindor Quidditch teammate Alicia Spinnet in her usual velvety tone that soothed his frazzled nerves. They were curled up on the sofa in Harry's snug room at Grimmauld Place. 'A few somebodies.'

'A broken home is the last thing I want is for my kids but…'

'...but here we are. Again. You staying away from home is just as broken.'

'You always were more thoughtful and intelligent than people gave you credit for,' Harry sighed as he closed his eyes and gave into the bliss of being held and having his unruly black hair smoothed by someone he was actually attracted to and liked a lot.

'Including you way back when…'

They fell silent, listening to the gale force winds, ice, and heavy snow battering the house. The whole of Greater London had ground to a stop and even wizards weren't above finding excuses to not go out. Every shop between Diagon Alley in London and the only all-wizard settlement in the British Isles that was Hogsmeade village in the Scottish Highlands outside Hogwarts was shut down.

Harry had lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and opened a bottle of elf–made wine. It was lunchtime now anyway so he wasn't going to feel guilty about that. What he should feel guilty about was running away from his domestic problems.

He wasn't quite there yet.

He and Ginny had been living very separate lives for a long time now. They were no longer husband and wife in every way except legalities. The fact that three children were now involved had only made things worse. He would have gotten a divorce already if it wasn't for the kids.

Alicia was astute enough to realise Harry was in danger of making even more mistakes and because of her.

Right now, at least he could say that he'd never physically cheated on Ginny. Emotionally – well that was something else. Carrying a torch for an unrequited teenaged love definitely qualified in her book. And the situation between she and Harry was little better in some respects.

'No,' Alicia said gently, pushing Harry away after he'd taken off his signature round glasses and kissed her. 'I know that your marriage is a sham. But I also know that you've never gotten over Julian Petersson. Ginny can fool herself but I can't. I'm not going to be the sidepiece you fuck to forget how wrecked your life is. I can't do it Harry, I just can't. This is bad enough.'

'I'd never do anything to hurt you Alicia, you know that!'

'The problem is I'm already getting hurt,' she said quietly to Harry's astonishment. 'I've been the dutiful _"best friend"_ you run to when real life gets to be too much. I've always wanted the best for you...and Ginny...and Julian. And me too. I won't lie and pretend that I've never thought about sleeping with you – but I'd never want done to me what we're too close to doing right now. I love you, Harry. I've always loved you and you know that. I wanted you to be mine – all mine. I deserve the best possible love and a man who will honor and cherish it. Unlike your wife I have the common sense enough to know that will never be you no matter how much I want it to be.'

' _Alicia please! We can sort this out!'_

' _Answer one question – no bullshit.'_

' _Anything! You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you!'_

' _If Julian Petersson popped up tomorrow – you'd be with her in a heartbeat. You'd move heaven and earth to get into her good graces again… and in bed with her… no matter what it cost you_ – _wouldn't you?'_

Harry rolled away from Alicia and stared at the ceiling. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he began to sob.

' _I'm sorry… I'm so, so, sorry!'_ he bawled as he held his head in his hands.

' _So am I,'_ Alicia said quietly as she stood up. 'Goodbye Harry.'

 _The Master of Death_ didn't move as she walked out of the room and then out of his house and his life.

Harry crying over losing her "friendship" was cold comfort – and Alicia had no tears left in her to cry over him anymore. There was a whole world of possibilities away from this mess. Alicia would tap into her own formidable Gryffindor courage and begin again elsewhere where no one knew her.

Julian Petersson had certainly had the right idea about that.

 **OOO**

Harry was left reeling.

How could he have read the situation with Alicia so wrong?!

 _She was gone and never coming back._

 _Why would she after what he'd just admitted to?_

Alicia had drawn the absolute truth out of him, the stone cold truth he could no longer ignore.

Now he had an even bigger problem on his hands: _what the hell was he going to do about it?_


	4. The Hunted

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 _ **Summary: Short Story -**_ A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 _ **Author Notes:**_ _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **CHAPTER WARNING - SEX!**

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 004: The Hunted**

The man formerly known as Severus Tobias Snape lay in bed listening to the roaring winds battering the one-room farmhouse in the densely wooded Alpine hills and mountains above Chezery-Forens in Eastern France. According Muggle news reports this series of snow and ice storms were the worst that Continental Europe and the British Isles had seen for a century.

He debated in his head whether to brave the cold of the room and make a run for the bathroom or stay snuggled up in bed where he at least had some semblance of warmth. He sighed and braced himself to get up. He could kill two birds with one stone and finally put the fireplace to good use and heat the place up on his way back to bed.

Right on cue, the young woman who used to be Julian Petersson shivered in her sleep and then shifted in his arms.

 _'Severus? Are you OK?'_ she mumbled, struggling to wake up.

'It's alright; just nature calling,' he half-whispered, smoothing her fringe and mane of black curls and waves off her face before giving the young woman he adored a tender kiss. 'Go back to sleep.'

Hogwarts's former Potions Master, Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, and Headmaster slid out of bed, hissing at the bitter coldness that stung his skin. He'd gotten too used to sleeping without so much as an old nightshirt and his threadbare bathrobe was quite insufficient for the traipse to the loo even if was just across the long room. He adjusted the heavy blankets so Julian would stay warm in his absence.

He and Julian had settled in Jersey in the Channel Islands under new identities for a time before moving on to the Continent, moving house every few months for the first few years of their newfound freedom. The perfectly isolated farmhouse they'd moved into that past summer would not be their forever home, but it sufficed for the time being.

He couldn't help but think of the hard road they'd traveled together as he made a mad dash for the loo and then sorted out a roaring smokeless fire once he was done.

The Potions Master had always known that Dumbledore would betray Julian even worse than he had him in the end. Severus had seen to it that she was safe as soon as the Second War of Voldemort ended after the fateful Battle at Hogwarts. He was cleared of being a true Death Eater collaborator within days and then turned his back on everything he'd known and been promised in Britain.

Severus had been set for the rest of his life having finally gotten the respect he was due – and walked away from it all willingly and with few regrets.

He and his Immortal Beloved chose to remain in Europe and within a reasonable proximity to the British Isles to keep tabs on their Wizarding World. Their biggest problem was Albus Dumbledore: nobody needed the bitter old wizard to die more than he and Julian did – and especially her.

They always kept to themselves and traveled great distances to do shopping and enjoy outings. There would be no chance of people getting used to seeing them around and trying to get close to them even with the glamours they disguised themselves with. It frustrated them to no end, but it kept them alive and the man still regarded as the Greatest Wizard of the Age off their scent.

Severus sighed as he slid back into bed, reminding himself that this damnable situation wasn't going to be forever. He had hoped for a leisurely day out but of course Mother Nature had other ideas. The snow was hammering it down outside and the wind had been building up to gale force for the past few hours. The former Hogwarts Potions Master looked down at his former student now curled up in his arms again as they snuggled in the warmth of their bed.

Even when she slept Julian looked somewhat anxious.

Her fertility problems guaranteed that the Dark Wizard bloodlines of Voldemort and Barrett ended with her. But he doesn't mind that they will never have children. He'd been as afraid of his own faulty genetics as she was of hers.

However Julian's general upbringing and the choices she'd made were so very different to his. He'd benefited greatly from knowing her and being privileged to be her friend, then her lover – and now her husband.

He never saw the late Melinda Barrett or Lord Voldemort aka Tom Marvolo Riddle in her and he still doesn't. Julian just is who she is to him: the woman who had been Brighid MacLeod and then Julian Petersson before settling into a life on the run with him under a succession of identities. The latest she'd had to adopt was Véronique Finet, wife of Sébastien.

Dark Magic helps husband and wife stay alive and steps ahead from those who hunt them.

They use it to scry every morning and evening.

Every time that the water remains clear they give thanks for being safe.

Their situation doesn't allow for much planning for the future; it was enough to make it through each day.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

The sounds of their lovemaking competed with the turbulent storm outside. Their love and passion remained strong and sex continued to be as huge a comfort now as it had been in the early days of their relationship at Hogwarts during the war.

The old bed creaked with every hard thrust. The heavy blankets had become stiflingly hot because of the fire and had been thrown off. The sight and feel of his wife writhing beneath him in the firelight - her tawny skin glistening with sweat, big breasts heaving with dark nipples erect, her head thrown back, calling his name as she begged him to not stop - spurred him on.

Being wanted and intensely desired by the only woman he'd ever truly loved had always been powerful aphrodisiac.

His black eyes closed as he and Julian neared what the French referred to as _"La Petite Mort"_ , _"The Little Death"_.

It was Severus's turn to cry out as he lost control and orgasmed hard and deep inside her. The powerful force of it still overwhelmed him, but he was always relieved just the same afterwards.

He'd had a vasectomy in solidarity with his student girlfriend after she became infertile all those years ago. Julian had had no idea what was on his mind until the deed was done. He knew he'd never be with another woman, but still – if Julian couldn't give him children then no one else would either.

' _Oh Merlin that was_ ** _SO_** _good!'_ Severus groaned breathlessly as he rolled onto his back.

'Glad you're not tired of me yet,' Julian said softly as she slid into his arms and smoothed his damp black hair from his face.

'I can say the same my love; I'm grateful you haven't seen sense and given up on me, dirty old man that I am.'

'Forty-four is hardly old Dearheart…'

'I'll be forty-five in less than two months…'

'You are nowhere near being old, you are not a "dirty old man", and there is nothing wrong with my sensibilities.'

'Some might think differently.'

'Stop caring about what other people might think,' twenty-three year-old Julian said gently as she rubbed the furry space below his belly button the way he liked. 'None of that matters anymore.'

'Are you trying to kill me you little vixen?'

'Hardly; I need you to have a long life. I don't want to have to live without you.'

Severus erred on the side of caution and remained quiet.

He knew all too well what Julian would do if he died.

He'd had a taste of it during the Battle at Hogwarts before saving Harry Potter from a certain death at the hands of the Dark Lord. Julian had gone through a deep depression after the death of her first love Cedric Diggory – but what happened during the battle… well that was very different indeed.

Thank Merlin Hermione Granger had realised that he was who he said he was and had seen fit to tell him what was happening with the student he had given his heart to as well as Potter.

She'd always been the most intelligent and reasonable of Gryffindor's Holy Trio that included Ron Weasley.

 **OOO**

' _Professor Snape?! You're ALIVE?! How...?!'_

' _Nevermind that, Miss Granger!' snapped Snape as he swooped into the Headmaster's office._

 _He was alive and well aware that his most precious and private memories had been laid bare to three of his most hated students, one of whom was Harry Potter._

 _The Gryffindor Trio had followed Snape to the school's boathouse and watched through a window as Lord Voldemort appeared to have killed him. They'd rushed in after the Dark Wizard and his familiar, a giant basilisk called Nagini, left and collected the glowing white substance pouring from Snape's eyes and ears as he lay seemingly dying. With that one action they had taken the only thing that could exonerate him of the crimes many believed he'd committed (and no thanks to Dumbledore as of late) – his memories._

 _That Snape was alive was nothing short of miraculous; but the details of how he managed it would have to wait._

' _I take it Potter has given into the Dark Lord's command?!'_

' _Um... Yes. He went right after we were done with the pensieve...!'_

' _Wait a minute, this could be a trick – Polyjuice Potion or something,' Ron Weasley said, drawing his wand._

 _The battle of Hogwarts had raged all night long. Only with the dawning of the new day was there a temporary lull in the chaos._

 _Still, they needed to be on their guard._

' _You have found and destroyed the only other possible Horcrux – The Diadem of Helena Ravenclaw, yes?'_

' _Only the real Professor Snape would know about that, Ronald,' Hermione commented as she pushed his arm down._

' _We did,' Ron said uneasily, waiting for the bollocking that was usually sure to come. 'Basilisk fang, from the Chamber of Secrets.'_

' _It was all Ron's idea,' Hermione said earnestly. 'Bloody brilliant, actually!'_

' _I am inclined to agree,' Snape conceded. 'Now – tell me_ ** _exactly_** _where things stand at the moment!'_

' _The Death Eaters were run out of the castle, but not without losses on our side,' Hermione answered._

' _We heard that You-Know-Who took Hagrid hostage, to lure Harry out there. They're all in the Forbidden Forest,' Ron added._

 _''We know now that you were always on our side, Sir. Your memories...'_

' _Yes. Well... I have nothing to be ashamed of,' Snape said defensively, though it was obvious that he was far from happy with the intimacies of his private life being laid bare._

' _But You-Know-Who,' Ron began. 'If Harry isn't successful...'_

' _I am not a betting man Weasley, but if I were I would bet all the gold in Gringotts on Potter managing to not pass this mortal coil quite yet.'_

 _Ron and Hermione looked at each other in disbelief._

 _The situation was getting wilder by the minute._

' _I'm sorry, I just don't understand,' Hermione spluttered._

' _Not to your usual standard, Miss Granger. Understandable, I suppose, given the circumstances,' Snape said. 'You have_ _"experienced"_ _my memories for yourself; remember what Headmaster Dumbledore told me: the night that the Dark Lord attempted to kill Potter as an infant, the spell rebounded. The last remaining fragment of his soul latched onto the only living thing it could find in the immediate vicinity – Potter himself. I am willing to bet that the Dark Lord will execute the Killing Curse against your friend but_ _unbeknownst to him the last remaining Horcrux is Potter's scar!_ _That scar is why Potter has the ability to speak and understand Parseltongue and connect with the Dark Lord's mind. The Horcrux will be destroyed by the Killing Curse but Potter_ ** _will _**_survive it!'_

' _So... You-Know-Who will actually destroy a Horcrux he never intended to make, is that right?' Hermione asked. 'Which will then make him even weaker than he already was from the other ones that were destroyed?'_

' _Yes, Miss Granger. But more importantly:_ ** _Potter. Will. Survive. It_** _._ _For once I hope he thinks before he acts! He will need that legendary Gryffindor bravery in abundance to face what appears to be Death.'_

' _Harry kind of already knew that he had to be the one to face You-Know-Who – but I don't think he realised that bit about his scar being the last Horcrux,' Ron said uneasily._

' _As Miss Granger had not already figured it out herself it stands to reason that he didn't,' Snape said. 'Tell me – who else outside of you three is aware of my situation?'_

' _Kingsley and Tonks; they took copies of your memories for the report he'll file with the Auror's Office and Magical Law Enforcement once things are, um, over and done with,' Hermione answered._

' _I expected nothing less than that,' Snape said. 'How happy Bellatrix Lestrange will be to learn that her suspicions about me being a traitor to their cause were always correct.'_

' _She's dead; Mum killed her. Bellatrix tried to kill my sister and Mum lost it and dueled her. It was over in less than a few minutes!'_

' _Never underestimate the love of_ _some_ _mothers for their children,' Snape commented with a slight smirk._

' _It turns out Dumbledore's alive too after all this time – an attachment of Senior Aurors found him trying to break in here and confronted him about his shady shenanigans including faking his own death and burial,' Ron commented. 'The Ministry's got him!'_

' _Something else I was right about yet no one wanted to hear it. He'll never see the inside of Azkaban, that you can believe.'_

 _'Wait a minute I just realised something,' Hermione said hesitantly._

' _Well? Go on...' Snape said._

 _'Some of what was in the pensieve was about Julian Petersson,' Hermione continued, turning beet red._

' _That is none of your business!' Snape snarled._

' _Oh no!' Ron cried. 'In all that madness with Dumbledore I completely forgot about her!'_

' ** _Forgot_** ** _what? Answer me!'_**

' _She thinks you're dead!' Hermione squeaked as said as Ron scuttled backwards, waiting for the Potions Master to erupt. 'She was..._ ** _really hysterical_** _...!'_

 _There was no reply as Snape flew from the room and Hermione took off after him, leaving Ron to stand guard over the pensieve._

 ** _xxx_**

 _Seventeen year-old Julian Petersson stood awkwardly on the parapet of the Astronomy Tower and took in the scene below through her tears._

 _There was a lull in the battle at Hogwarts and nothing but smouldering ruins, death, and destruction as far as the eyes could see._

 _Lord Voldemort had given those fighting against him one hour to bury their dead and reconsider the futility of their actions._

 _Harry Potter had willingly gone to the Forbidden Forest to a certain death._

 _It was all over then surely._

 _Severus had risked so much for these people and in the end it had meant nothing to them. No matter what he did they refused to see anything good in him, Harry included. There would be nothing she could say that would change their minds, if anything it would probably make things worse._

 _She'd fought so hard to stay alive._

 _Now there was nothing to live for._

' _I can't go on without him; I can't,' she whispered. 'I won't...'_

' _Miss Petersson – please come down!' Professor McGonagall pleaded. 'Let me help you! You don't have to do this!'_

' _You stay away from me! You hated him! You all did! He needed you Professor – and you turned your back on him! Don't try to deny it; I know better!_ ** _I SAW!_** _'_

' _I... I made mistakes and so did he! We all have!'_

' _ **D**_ ** _o you know what it's like to lose the only person you love and who loves you unconditionally?!_** _He was everything to me and now I have nothing! NOTHING! He went to his death doing so much for me and I never... I never got to...!'_

 _The Gryffindor fell against the parapet and began to sob, her long black curling wavy hair falling in curtains around her face._

' ** _Yes, Miss Petersson, as it so happens I do!'_** _McGonagall roared as she finally snapped._ ** _'You aren't the only one in this world to have to live with heartbreak!'_**

 _Julian had touched a raw nerve and made her think of things she tried to bury deep inside where they wouldn't hurt as much._

 _'Well that's the difference between me and you! I'm not willing to live without the only man who will ever really have my heart! I'm not going to play the martyr and grow old and be alone! There's nothing brave or honourable about that!'_

' _For Merlin's sake you are so young and you have your whole life ahead of you! Don't throw it all away for the likes of that...'_

' ** _Enough of this!_** _' came a dangerously low hiss from the shadows._

 _Severus stepped forward, his face distorted by fury as Hermione cowered behind him._

' _How could you?!' he roared at the Deputy Headmistress. 'You knew I was alive! Our paths crossed as I returned to the Headmaster's office – and yet you have not seen fit to tell her?! I begged you to look after her and this is what you do?!_ ** _You hate me_** ** _that _****_much, Professor?!_** _'_

' _Now you wait just a minute…!' McGonagall began._

' ** _Severus?_** _'_ _Julian gasped._ ** _'But... how...?! No!'_**

' _It's really him, Julian,' Hermione said, tapping into her own formidable Gryffindor courage and finding her voice. 'He proved it to me and Ron just now in his office…'_

' _I promise you it's me, Beloved,' Snape said gently. 'I need for you to stay calm and I will get you down.'_

' ** _What... what the last thing you said to me before Potter turned up?!' Julian demanded of the person who appeared to be her lover._**

' _ **I said that I would go to the 12th level of Hades to be with you – and I would willingly remain there with you than carry on being alone. I told you I loved you for the very first time and I begged you to stay alive for me because I have never loved or wanted anyone as much as I do you. I told you that I could only get through this if I know that I have being with you to look forward to. There will never be anyone else for me but you.'**_

 _There was a brief silence before Severus moved beneath the parapet._

 _Julian jumped and fell into his arms, sobbing hysterically._

' _They said you were dead!'_

' _I thought I was too for a moment,' he said softly as they clung tight to each other. 'I will explain it all but there are other matters to attend to first. I need you to tap into your Gryffindor courage and be brave, my darling. It will all be over soon and then nothing will keep us apart. You have my sacred vow.'_

' _Harry – you're going to help Harry with You-Know-Who…_ _again_ _… aren't you?'_

' _Yes, Beloved. I am going to see to it that that metaphysical terrorist is destroyed one-and-for-all. He will haunt my steps no more.'_

' ** _But Severus…'_**

' _Remember what we talked about,' Severus admonished her gently._ ** _'The Dark Lord will be no match for_** ** _me _****_or for_** ** _Potter AND me.'_**

' _Oh! Right! I understand. You're right, of course.'_

' _Miss Granger – would you…?'_

' _Of course, Sir,' Hermione agreed before he could finish. 'We'll be in your office…'_

' ** _Professor McGonagall_** _– permit me one final indulgence. Accompany Miss Granger and Miss Petersson. Look into the pensieve and then hear what Kingsley Shacklebolt will have to say about your precious Dumbledore whom you believed could do no wrong before damning me any further.'_

 **OOO**

 _It turned out that only Snape's memories were needed for Minerva to completely change her mind – and feel utterly ashamed at wrong she'd been._

 _Dumbledore's own memories betrayed him in the end, nothing else._

 _All hell had broken loose when McGonagall found out that Julian was the child Dumbledore had removed from her kin._

 _So many lives ruined._

 _Hogwarts's latest Headmaster worked overtime to make up for her foolishness from that moment forward._

 **OOO**

The Potions Master had only survived Voldemort's deadly attack on him because of Julian.

 _Julian._

If something were to befall her he wouldn't go on without her either.

He knew it as well as he knew his real name.

 _And so did she._

'Forget it; I was just being silly,' he said gently, looking into Julian's cognac brown eyes.

Her haunted eyes which always saw right through him.

Those beautiful haunted eyes that had bewitched him.

… and the late Cedric Diggory before him.

… and _The Chosen One_ , _The Master of Death_ , Harry James Potter.

 _Potter._

 _The reason that they are in this mess._

Julian and Severus began to kiss again and she moved on top of him. Their lovemaking was slow and tender this time, in no competition with the storm outside despite the intensity of their emotions.

'I love you, my Immortal Beloved,' he moaned, looking up into those beautiful haunted eyes as she took him inside her. _'Always.'_

'I love you too, Dearheart. _Always._ '


	5. Black Hole Sun

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 _ **Summary: Short Story -**_ A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 _ **Author Notes:**_ _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 005: Black Hole Sun**

 _Two months later  
_  
They still use Dark Magic to scry every night at the same time to see if they are in danger.

Every night that the water still remains clear they celebrate being alive.

 _Tonight the water clouds over._

 **XxxxOOOxxxX**

Severus and Julian had made it a point to not acquire very much in the way of material possessions over the years. It would be easy to go at a moment's notice without the worry of too many things to account for weighing them down. Everything they owned fit into two large Muggle suitcases and they could be packed and gone in less than ten minutes even without magic.

They had been sitting in a tense silence that was finally broken by a distinctive knock at the back door.

'It's definitely her,' the Potions Master confirmed, looking out of the nearest window before crossing the room to open it.

 _'Oh Thank Merlin you're still here!'_ Professor McGonagall cried as she rushed past Severus and gathered Julian into a tight hug.

'We were not going to go without Julian being able to see you one last time,' the Potions Master said evenly as he closed the door and locked it. 'Can you give us any insight into what changed?'

'Bloody _Potter!_ You know what Albus is like when he's determined to have his way about things, Severus; and Potter has always been just a little too easy to manipulate in that regard.'

'Dumbledore excels in using people's emotions for his own purposes,' the Potions Master sighed heavily. 'And of course Madame Malfoy has not been able to make him see sense.'

'He at least was willing to trust her enough to have a private word about what Albus has been up to – and the pressure he's been laying on.'

Minerva didn't hold back as she revealed the finer details of her conversations with Hermione – and Alicia Spinnet.

Alicia had moved to Western Canada to make a fresh start, but before she left she'd visited Minerva at home to unburden her conscious – and relay her fears for Harry's marriage, Ginny, and Julian. She'd always known deep down that he'd never leave Ginny for her; but Julian…well that was different. She worried that much like Dumbledore, _The Master of Death_ would stop at nothing to get what he really wanted once his mind was made up.

'So… Dumbledore has well-and-truly rattled Harry's cage about me,' Julian spat angrily. _'You were right Severus – you always said neither one of them would be able to leave well enough alone.'_

'I'm sorry,' the Headmistress said tearfully. 'If only I'd been strong enough to keep you with us when you were just a wee babe…'

'He still would have found a way to bring me to Hogwarts. Dumbledore resents me for not being what he believed my father to be as much as he does for defying him. Yet if he understood my father as much as he thinks he does, then my defiance would make sense.'

 _'I'm sorry,'_ Minerva repeated. _'I'm so, so sorry…'_

'Innocent people lost their lives just for not jumping every time Dumbledore cracked his whip. Mr. Petersson made a big mistake working for Dumbledore, but he and his family didn't deserve to die for it. Dumbledore is no better than my father was in many respects. He needed to be completely honest and open with Harry but still refuses to accept that Harry could have ended up dead because of him. And Boo Boo The Fool Harry refuses to face it. Dumbledore should be rotting in Azkaban for a lot of what he's done _"for the greater good"_ , but I'll settle for that hypocrite eventually dying a horrible death because of that ring.'

'What will you do?'

'Dumbledore still has people who owe him in various pockets of the European Wizarding Communities,' Severus answered. 'We did well to pass undetected here as long as we have; but it's time to put an end to this madness.'

' _"Thank you"_ is so insufficient it's damn near insulting,' Minerva said. 'But thank you, Severus, for everything you've done… especially for our Brighid.'

The Headmistress blew her nose and then took a deep breath.

 _ **'So this is it…'**_ she rasped.

'Yes, everything's all set,'Julian confirmed as the tears she'd held back began to fall _. 'It's the only way…'_

' _I know… dammit!'_

The Gryffindor embraced the woman who had long been like a mother to her and finally told her how much she loved her before saying her last goodbye.

 **XxxxOOOxxxX**

Minerva returned home by sunrise.

Unable to sleep, she sobbed as she looked through photographs of Julian as a baby and toddler when she had been known as Brighid while still with the clan and then as the Gryffindor she'd regarded as a daughter.

She would take Julian's secrets with her to her grave.

 **XxxxOOOxxxX**

 _Four Months Later_

' _What?!'_ Hermione gasped incredulously as she stared at Harry with wide eyes.

He'd gotten her out of bed, this time by pounding frantically on the back door of the Malfoy home just as Hermione and Draco were about to call it a night.

It was his first time ever setting foot in the place. It was his own fault but Hermione and Draco opted to not comment on that. Harry was visibly disturbed and it had taken him ten minutes of hysterical rambling before they'd managed to get a lick of sense out of him. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

' _They're dead… both of them. I was right; all this time she was with HIM!'_

Draco stood behind Harry, silently making teas. His hand shook slightly as he placed Harry's mug in front of him and glanced at his wife.

'Nobody's seen or heard from either of them for years,' Draco said carefully as he handed Hermione her mug and sat down. 'How can you be sure?'

'An ex-friend of Dumbledore's in France who was indebted to him for one thing or another. This chap spotted them at one of the farmer's markets near him. He was able to follow them home and observed them for a week or so before contacting me at home in London on the sly instead of going to Dumbledore.'

' _London?'_ Hermione said quietly. 'I see.'

'He said they seemed _"happy enough in spite of their circumstances"_ ,' Harry sighed, ignoring the reference to the sad state of his marriage.

'Well that's something at least; if anyone deserved happiness it's those two,' Draco mumbled.

'So what happened then?' Hermione asked mournfully.

'The place where they were hiding out went up in flames. The Muggle authorities said it was down to a gas leak on top of faulty electrical wiring; the place was pretty old and needed repairs. It was used by all kinds of squatters for years and really should have been razed to the ground and a new house built. As it was they were lucky it hadn't gone up long before it did.'

' _Oh Merlin!'_ Hermione squeaked.

Draco moved his chair next to hers and put his arms around her.

' _What an awful way to…'_ he spluttered.

'They… um… probably died in their sleep,' Harry continued. '...from the gas… before the fire… they wouldn't have felt…'

There was an uneasy silence as everyone digested what Harry had said.

' _Dumbledore couldn't leave well enough alone,'_ Harry spat at last. _'He can burn in Hell for what he's done. And I was a fool; all this time a bloody fool. You were right...both of you. And Professor McGonagall. No apology will ever be enough but I really am sorry_ ‒ _for everything. I don't want forgiveness because I don't deserve it.'_

'Thank you for finally seeing sense and admitting you were wrong,' Draco said pointedly.

'Hounded to their deaths,' Hermione said angrily. 'Now Dumbledore can die satisfied that his work is done.'

' _Oh he was satisfied, very satisfied indeed ‒ THE BASTARD!'_

' _Was?!'_ the Malfoys cried, almost in unison.

' _ **Dumbledore died two nights ago.'**_

'But I thought he still had at least another three-to-six months,' Hermione gasped. 'That's why he was hounding you so much lately!'

'Well it _was_ a curse set by _Julian's father_ – no way of knowing exactly what was going on there… Anyway, Dumbledore was an old man who'd already lived a lot longer than he deserved. The Ministry isn't going to make a big deal about it and neither will Dumbledore's brother. He hates him as much as just about everyone else did so there's going to be a quick cremation and Dumbledore will be lucky to get a gravestone the family crypt in Godric's Hollow cemetery – that's it.'

'Well that's a fine how-do-you-do for the so-called _Greatest Wizard of the Age_ ,' Draco muttered.

Unwilling to say anything else, Harry got up and left.

 **OOO**

'The more I think about it the more whole thing is … _strange_ ,' Draco said quietly as he and Hermione finally settled down to sleep.

'I agree,' Hermione sighed. 'I can't help but wonder about _how_ Dumbledore died…'

'I think we better let sleeping dogs lie now; at least we won't have to pretend like we actually care.'


	6. New Beginnings

**Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. I don't make any money from this and just do it for the genuine love of writing.**

 _ **ALTERNATE UNIVERSE – Canon used very sparingly here!**_

 _ **Summary: Short Story -**_ A bitter, meddlesome Dumbledore clings to life some years after the end of the Second War of Voldemort. His most useful pawn Snape is once again on the run, this time following his heart rather than his head. Features: Snape/OFC, HGranger/DMalfoy, HPotter/GWeasley. ALT U

 _ **Author Notes:**_ _This is actually the Epilogue to an outlined, but as yet unwritten story_

 _ **Rated M/R for language, situations**_

 **The Girl With the Haunted Eyes**

 **By NativeMoon**

 **Chapter 006: New Beginnings**

 _Three years after Dumbledore's death  
_  
The Malfoys are on their annual Summer Holiday.

Hermione and Draco spend the children's Summer school holiday in Australia every year looking for her long-lost parents. This year she received a personalised advertisement for a break in Melbourne in the mail along with a cryptic note written on the letterhead of a local travel agency.

The day after their arrival, another note written on the same stationary was left for her with the hotel concierge ̶ and she broke down and cried.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

Hermione sat outside at a riverside café. As always, the promenade was crowded on such an uncommonly nice winter Saturday. She had placed a large shopping bag in the other seat, and tried not to look as anxious as she felt.

'' _Scuse me, would it be alright if I sit here for a bit? I've got blisters on my heels that are absolutely killing me,'_ came an unfamiliar voice with a decidedly Melburnian accent.

'I'm waiting for my husband,' Hermione said slowly as she looked up at the stranger. 'But he's running rather late so…'

She reached over and placed the shopping bag under the table.

'I just need a few minutes to sort out my poor feet,' the older woman said apologetically as she rummaged around in the small backpack she'd been wearing.

Hermione glanced at the whippet-thin blue-eyed blonde as the stranger muttered something she didn't quite catch. The woman sighed as she eased her blistered feet out of their loafers after ordering a small coke with extra ice.

'You look like you're ready to cry Hermione,' Julian said softly as she slipped into a pair of flip-flops.

'Must be the heat,' Hermione said breathlessly. 'I'd say that you look good except…'

'No offense taken,' Julian replied with a smile. 'It's quite a different experience pretending to be a White woman, and a skinny one at that.'

Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

'Thank goodness that sense of humour of yours is still intact. So, is he…?'

'Yes. We decided to make the most of the weather and have a nice day out.'

'I can't believe that you finally found them after all this time…'

'My husband is a very good researcher. Getting a copy of that programme your parents had been watching just before you altered their memories and "influenced" them to move with was an inspired idea, bless him. It took some doing but we got there in the end.'

'How did you…?'

'Through means that aren't a part of Ministry-sanctioned education,' came the reply with a pointed look.

'I see. And he's your husband now…congratulations.'

'He _"made an Honest Woman of me"_ – whatever that is - not long after he was exonerated.'

'Wow… I'm happy for you both; I really am.'

'Thank you.'

Julian signalled for their server and sipped the watery remnant of her iced coke.

Hermione remained silent as Julian rummaged through her small rucksack and placed her sunglasses, a handkerchief, head scarf, fold-up umbrella, and the latest local edition of Time Out magazine on the table. At last she fished out her wallet to settle her bill, paying for their drinks and Hermione's mostly uneaten sandwich in cash.

'Oh but you didn't have to…' Hermione spluttered as her Housemate repacked her bag and muttered what she assumed was the counter-spell to the cloaking hex she'd cast after sitting down.

' _You always were a very talented natural magician,'_ Hermione thought to herself, trying not to feel intimidated. _'A rare talent… very much like your father…'_

'You did me a kindness letting me sort out my poor foot,' Julian said firmly as she stood. 'G'Day to you Miss, and enjoy your holiday.'

Hermione watched as Julian walked away.

The Gryffindor had left the magazine on the table and Hermione picked it up and flipped through it. She blinked back tears as she noted the small envelope taped to the back of an advertisement for a new housing development on Mornington Peninsula before tucking the magazine firmly in her handbag.

Acting on impulse, Hermione vacated her spot in the shade and headed in the direction she'd known Julian had taken.

A couple of minutes later she stood behind the pillar of a pharmacy, watching as the woman exiled from the Wizarding World stood talking quietly to a man Hermione assumed was her husband as they bought ice creams from a stand. She felt a pang watching them hold hands as they walked down to the city ferry – it was unforgivable that they were forced to live like vagabonds and still felt that they had to hide who they really were in public so far away from home.

Even though Snape and Julian could have easily ignored her along with everyone else they'd been compelled to distance themselves from, they'd committed themselves to helping her.

There was no one to blame but Dumbledore.

How convenient it was that the man many in the British Wizarding Community once considered The Greatest Wizard of the Age had passed from this mortal coil leaving such a ruinous wreck of people's lives in his wake.

Hermione felt a pang in her chest at the realisation that she and Julian would never see or have contact with each other again after this.

But as long as everyone continued to believe that Severus Snape and Julian Petersson are dead then they, and everyone connected to them, could live out the rest of their lives as best they could in peace.

Tears now streaming down her face, Hermione watched the ferry as it launched until it disappeared around the bend of the Yarra River.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

A fresh start for the Potters after Dumbledore's death wasn't meant to be.

Ginny finally accepted that their relationship had run its course. It was better for their children if she and Harry divorced and tried to be good friends to each other as they co-parented. She found the true love she'd wanted with Dean Thomas and they married with Harry's blessing.

At first it was hard for _The Chosen One_ to accept that his former rival for Ginny's affections was now his children's stepfather, but Dean was a good and kind man and cared for the Potter children as though they were his own. Ginny was expecting twins and having a much easier pregnancy this time because of Dean's unwavering support and devotion which she wisely accepted and encouraged. It was a marked change from her fighting against it as she'd done when they were dating as Hogwarts students.

Harry resigned his role at the Ministry, sold Grimmauld Place, and moved into a new house in Somerset just over the border from the Thomas's new place in Devon. He accepted that he needed to make more time for his children and fortunately the wealth he'd inherited from his late parents made the decision easy.

Harry's life had been dominated by Dark Wizards and Dark Magic since he was born, culminating in the Second War of Voldemort which saw him face Death in fighting the second most notorious Dark Wizard of all Time and come back from the Otherworld. Becoming an Auror and then running the department wasn't the best decision he'd made for himself even though he and Ginny's brother Ron had weeded out every bit of corruption and revolutionised training and law enforcement procedures.

Most important was Harry accepting that he'd had never given himself time and space to process everything he'd been through, Dumbledore's Machiavellian manipulations included. Everyone who'd meant anything to him had suffered because of it.

It was years in the making, but Harry finally faced the truth that he'd been a blinkered fool himself about Julian Petersson and Alicia Spinnet. Thank Merlin Alicia had finally seen sense and vanished to wherever it was that she was hiding herself these days. He hoped she was happy and had a good life.

Harry had been OK with being single and having the odd date while he got his act together until the fateful night when he ran into his old friend and Ravenclaw schoolmate Luna Lovegood in Bath. A spur-of-the-moment drink together to have a catch-up turned into dinner followed by a steady stream of dates. Once again Harry's eyes were opened to Luna's remarkable ability to confront problems head-on and tell the absolute truth no matter how uncomfortable.

She'd always been unlike anyone he'd ever known in the best possible way.

Hermione and Julian had always thought Luna was a good match for him, but Harry had steadfastly refused to entertain the idea. The Ravenclaw had been well-known for being an oddball during their schooldays and Harry had cared too much about what other people would think. He'd refused to budge even after coming to realise what a wonderful young woman Luna was growing into during their talks at Hogwarts. He'd thought she was going to make someone a very lucky man ̶ but he had to see through whatever it was he had going on with Ginny. Ron was his best friend and the Weasleys like family. He'd supposed it was too much too fast with Ginny, but there was no turning back. Dating aside, shagging her on their first official date was one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Fortunately Harry was a lot wiser and had learned hard lessons.

And so it was that Harry Potter's courtship of and second marriage with Luna Lovegood was far happier than his first with Ginny Weasley. He and Luna had a great life together and had a son of their own with another on the way, children he'd wanted very much. The self-induced hole in his heart was no longer there.

 _He was finally with the woman he should have been with all along._

Thoughts and dreams of Julian tormented him no more.

The peace and contentment he'd craved and thought he'd never have eluded was now his in abundance.

Harry's happiness impacted others for the better in ways he would never know.

 **XxxOOOxxX**

 _Five Years After Dumbledore's Death_

Julian sighed as she scrutinised her reflection in the passenger side mirror of their new Range Rover. She wasn't used to being herself in public and found it strange. Though they still occasionally utilised glamours, it was more out of habit than necessity. Severus had been firm that today was not going to be one of those days.

It was the first day of the rest of their lives.

' _Good God - are those… are those gray hairs?'_ she muttered irritably looking at the locks of hair that had escaped her messy up-do and fallen over her left shoulder. 'I'm not ready for this…'

'Welcome to the club my darling,' Severus said as reached over and stroked her cheek tenderly. 'You are still very beautiful ̶ as you well know.'

'You have to say that to keep the peace now that I'm officially cruising into middle age, my distinguished silver fox.'

'I am under no obligation to do any such thing,' he replied with a slight smirk. 'But I'll gladly take _'silver fox'_ as compliment coming from you.'

'So I don't suppose you're going to break down and tell me where we're going.'

'No chance.'

'We've been on the road for almost four hours at top speed; are we close to being there yet?' she asked as they headed away from the west arm Lake Manapouri deeper into the picturesque mountainous region of Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island.

'Just be patient,' Severus answered with a chuckle.

They had scryed for what turned out to be the last time over a year ago and the water was clear ̶ before evaporating completely.

They had no idea what brought about this blessing of Harry Potter finally getting over his obsession with Julian, but they were grateful to finally be completely free to start planning for the rest of their life together.

'I'd try tickling it out of you but I value my life too much,' his wife teased.

'If you must know, we are headed to Doubtful Sound; but a different route this time.'

' _Oh Severus! Really?!_ I loved our visit there! It was the happiest I've ever been!'

'I know, Immortal Beloved. It was the same for me as well.'

 **OOO**

Severus slowed down as they drove down a wide dirt track through dense woodland hills. At last he pulled up to a set of imposing heavy dark grey gates and input two sets of codes on the security pad. A moment later the gates parted and he drove through and took a track upwards.

Julian gasped as they cleared the forest on the other side. She took in the stunning Jurassic landscape of massive dark green mountainous peaks, rolling hills and waterways leading to the Tasman Sea.

A few minutes later Severus navigated a winding gravel drive and pulled up outside the double garage of an impressive single-story L-shaped modern stone and wood home.

'Now this is what I call kerb appeal,' Julian sighed as he turned off the ignition.

Severus didn't comment as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of their Range Rover. He was at her side of the vehicle holding open the door as she finally came to her senses and stepped out.

'So what do you think?' he asked.

'I think I'm going to enjoy this break just a bit too much. It will be hard having to go back to Queenstown (as much as I do like it there).'

'So you are sure that you can be content with a very quiet, uneventful country life.'

'Yeeeeeesss… _Severus Tobias Snape what are you up to?_ '

'Oh dear - using my real full name… it seems I am in a bit of trouble,' he teased.

Severus reached into a pocket of his black jeans and handed her a set of keys.

' _We are not here for a break.'_

Julian could only stare open-mouthed as a growing realisation struck her.

'This is the land we were looking at online…'

'Forty acres,' Severus confirmed.

'But there wasn't a house…'

'No, there wasn't.'

'This reminds me of… my dream house… in my notebook.'

'It is. I hope I've done your vision boards justice.'

Julian's eyes began to brim with tears as he put his arms around her.

' _So all this time… your walks and drives into town…'_

'I made the necessary arrangements and Apparated here to oversee the building works and the rest.'

His wife burst into tears as Severus reiterated how much he loved her. There were moments over the years when he'd feared they'd never be able to settle properly anywhere. But with things so changed for the better, it was time to make a fresh start and put down roots as they'd agreed.

'No one else lives in the Sound and never will,' Severus continued softly. 'It is virtually untouched by man and will continue to be so long after we are gone.'

'I don't understand…'

'You will always be one hundred percent safe and free to be yourself here.'

'Our things…'

' _In the boot_ … and there are enough groceries in the house already to see us through the first few days until we're ready to brave Te Anau and Manapouri again, but as bona fide locals.'

'So _**that**_ was why you hustled me into the car while you did your "one last check" and came out with your bag. _Shrinking charms_ ,' Julian sighed as she looked up at her husband in amazement. 'What am I going to do with you?'

'I can think of a few things,' Severus murmured as he held her tight.

He kissed her and as always their kisses deepened. They'd been married for well over a decade and no amount of trouble had diminished their love and mutual attraction.

Severus pulled away long enough to lead his wife up the walk to their front door, pick her up, and carry her across the threshold of their forever home.

 **THE END**


End file.
